Attachment for reed or pipe organs.



Pat ented Mr. 9, I901.

E. B. BAILEY.

ATTACHMENT FOR REED 0R PIPE ORGANS.

(Appliczition filed Aug. 13, 1900.)

(No Model.)

' INVENTOI? WITNESSES A TTORNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT @EEICE.

EDGERLY RUDOLPH BAILEY, OF CLARINDA, IOW'A.

ATTACHMENT FOR REED OR PIPE URGANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,875, dated April 9, 1901.

Application filed August 13, 1900. berial No. 26,787. (No model-3 T0 ctZZ whom it may Concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGERLY RUDOLPH BAILEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Glarinda, in the county of Page and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Attachment for Reed or Pipe Organs, of which the following is a description.

The purpose of myinvention is to increase the tonal capacity of reed and pipe organs viz., of sustaining chords or tones without the continued manipulation of keys or other mechanism heretofore employed.

By the use of this attachment chords or tones once struck or sounded continue in duration as desired by the performer, thereby permitting of further execution, the tones thus produced intermingling with the sustained ones. In other words, certain keys may be struck and held depressed indefinitely without requiring continued manual pressure by the player, so that the corresponding notes will sound so long as desired or until the depressed keys are mechanically released at the will of the player. It is a particular feature of my invention that while any key or keys are thus held depressed all the others may be freely manipulated as usual.

The invention is particularly adapted for instruments having a double keyboard or bank of keys, in which case a separate attachment can be used for each set of keys.

My improved construction and arrangement of parts are as hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of a bank of keys with my attachment arranged beneath, the parts being in normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view save that a key is shown depressed and locked by my attachment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the key-locking bar constituting a prominent feature of my attachment. Fig. 4. is a perspective view of one of the elastic hooks attached to the keys which it is desired to hold depressed.

A and B indicate the usual arrangement of keys on an organ. Each key may be provided on its under side with an attachment in the form of a pendent spring-hook C, the same being secured in a casting D, which is screwed to the key, as shown. In this instance I show the black keys I3 alone provided with such hooks C. It will be understood that the hooks C of the entire row of keys B are in alinement.

The means for holding one or more of the keys B depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, consist of the locking-bar E, having a hook F secured to it, as shown best in Fig. 3. The said bar is pivoted in vertical stands or brackets Gr, secured to a fixed base-piece H. It will be understood that said bar E and hook F must have the same length as the width of the row of keys B, since the hook F is required to engage any one or several of the key-hooks O or all simultaneously, as the case may be. The hook F is attached to the back of bar E and projects above and over the same or toward the front. It is covered with leather to prevent the metallic sound or click which would otherwise be produced upon contact with the key-hooks O.

The bar E is held in due position by a spring I, which bears against its front side, as shown in Fig. 3, and it is drawn forward into locking engagement with one or more key-hoo ks O by means of a treadle J and cord K, the latter running over a pulley L in the base-piece H.

It will be seen that if one or more of the keys B and the treadle J are depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, the bar E will be rocked or pulled forward, so that its hook F will engage the key-hooks O, and, further, that the said keys may be held depressed indefinitely or at the will of the player, so that the corresponding notes will continue to sound until the treadle is released and the locking-bar E and keys B are allowed to resume their normal position.

It is necessary that when certain keys are thus held down all the others may be played as usual, and this is provided for by the elasticity of the key-hooks G, which allows them to yield to pressure of the hook F of bar E, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2, whereby the said hook F is carried below the point where contact of the free hooks Ot'. 6., the hooks of keys remaining free or unlocked-with it is possible. In other words, the unlocked keys B may be manipulated as usual without danger of their hooks C striking upon the hook of locking-bar E.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with the keys of an organ-keyboard, having independent springhooks arranged in line as described, of the locking device consisting of a bar pivoted beneath and parallel to the row of keys and having a hook which projects upward and for ward, as shown, and means for rocking said bar forward and downward, to bring its hook into locking engagement with one or more of the hooks of such key or keys as are to be held temporarily depressed, whereby, after preliminary engagement, the said bar may be rocked still further and the key-hooks further depressed, so that the keys remaining unlocked may be played as usual, without bringing their pendent hooks into contact with the locking device as specified.

2. The combination, with organ-keys having pendent members, of a movable locking member adapted for engaging one or more of such key members when their keys are depressed, one of such engaging members being elastic as specified to allow the locking member to be further depressed, after due engagement, below the striking-point of the key members, and means for operating the looking member, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGERLY RUDOLPH BAILEY.

Witnesses:

HELLIE EARLE KELLEY, GEoEL A AGNES DONOGHUE. 

